DuPage County Sheriff's Deputies, Certificate of Recognition
Deputies Robert Amundsen, Mark DePino, Sean McGreevy, Jeffery Schumann, Kyle Southern, Thomas Weiser, and Corporal Christopher Thone.

On October 24, 2001, at 8:43am, the deputies responded to an apartment fire at 21 W 549 North Ave., in unincorporated Lombard. With flames shooting up the side of the building, and the dark hallways completely filled with smoke, the deputies made several trips inside the building to help evacuate more than a dozen residents of the building.

At the time of this rescue, the smoke was reported to be limiting visibility to about one foot in front of the deputies, and the hallway emergency lights had not activiated. After clearing the building, three deputies were treated for smoke inhalation at area hospitals. A total of seven fire departments had to respond to this fire scene.

Because of the quick, and decisive action taken that day, no lives were lost, and no serious injuries were reported. When the residents were brought to safety, all of the deputies involved continued to return to the smoke filled hallways to make sure their fellow officers got out safely, despite their own difficulty with smoke inhalation.

Oakbrook Sergeant Marc DeLise, Certificate of Recognition

On November 24, 2000, at 4:21pm, the Oakbrook Police Department responded to a report of shots fired at 720 Enterprise Drive, Oakbrook, Illinois. Sergeant DeLise encountered a female suspect in the lobby, who was pointing a handgun at an employee of the law firm. Sergeant DeLise was able to develop a dialogue with the suspect, who had pointed the gun at him, and then on herself, and threatened suicide. Eventually Sergeant DeLise was able to convince the suspect to surrender, and she was taken into custody without further incident.

This incident resulted in an armed, mentally unstable suspect being arrested without anyone being injured. She clearly had the means to cause serious harm to others, while threatening them with a fully loaded .357 magnum revolver. She was later charged with Aggravated Unlawful Use of Weapons, Aggravated Assault to a Police Officer, Aggravated Unlawful Restraint, and three counts of Aggravated Assault on the other persons present.

Villa Park Officer Marc Bregman, 2001 DuPage County Police Association Valor Award

On September 11, 2001, at 6:55pm, Officer Bregman was off-duty and riding a motorcycle in the town of Bloomingdale. A vehicle crash occurred at the intersection of Army Trail Road and Madsen. A Mercedes had struck another car after running a red light, and it ended up in a large ditch that was filled with water. Since the water level completely covered the top of the car, the female driver was very likely disoriented. When the driver did not exit the water, Officer Bregman went in after her, and with the assistance of another witness, brought her to safety.

Bloomingdale Police Officer Aaron Machek has informed us that the driver could not swim, and he believes Officer Bregman was directly responsible for saving her life. On the same day that hundreds of police officers and firefighters lost their lives in New York City, Officer Bregman did not hesitate to risk his.

As a result of Officer Bregman's actions, the DuPage County Police Association has selected him to be this year's valor award receipient.

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